Page 60 - BSAM 2015 Q3

promoting international friendship through bonsai
Bonsai & Stone News
Top left; The Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese
order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun. The design of the Rising Sun symbolizes energy as powerful as the rising sun in parallel with the “rising sun” concept of Japan, “Land of the Rising Sun.”
Top right; BCI 2nd Vice- president Nikunj Parekh, recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Bottom right; a member of the Japanese Consulate, Nikunj and Jyoti Parekh.
BCI Board Member Nikunj Parekh receives Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun
One of our board members, BCI 2nd Vice President Nikunj Parekh, was recently award- ed the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun by the
Consul General of Japan in India. This is the highest award the Japanese government presents to a non-Jap- anese citizen and only a few people worldwide receive it. The screening and review process conducting by Japanese officials before giving this award is a rigor- ous process, one that eliminates many candidates. It was presented to Nikunj in recognition for his many contributions to promoting Japanese arts and culture in India, especially bonsai.
In his acceptance speech, Nikunj recalled his first bonsai experience, “This took me back to the year 1970, when during my first visit to Japan, as a mem- ber of a delegation of the plastics industry and on a weekend, I could visit the famous Expo 1970 at Tenri Hills near Osaka. Here I saw Bonsai of the highest order for the first time.”
When he returned home, his stories of the bonsai trees inspired his wife Jyoti to learn about bonsai. A few years later, in 1979, amongst the stress and un- certainty of the labor strikes in Mumbai that affected Nikunj’s industry, he sought refuge in the peaceful hobby of bonsai and Jyoti became his Adi Guru or first teacher. He joined the Bonsai Study Group of the Indo-Japanese Association Mumbai where 30 years since, Nikunj has served in positions of General Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President and currently as President.
In the early ’80s, Nikunj was instrumental in bring- ing John Naka to India from whom he learned bonsai techniques and bonsai etiquettes. From Saburo Kato, who he calls a father figure, he learned about bonsai techniques, the spirit of bonsai and its philosophy with the life principles of bonsai artists. Then in 1985, he met Toshio Kawamoto, who introduced him to min- iature tray landscapes called Saikei.
Since 1982, he has visited Japan twenty three times where he met many Japanese people in the field of Arts,
Crafts, Tourism, Bonsai and Business. Building bridg- es of friendship with Japan became a reality. “Sister city relationship between Mumbai and Yokohama, Language skills, Technical training, teaching Bonsai, Gardening and editing Nichin Bonsai magazine since 1985, widened my horizons. More than anything else I absorbed gradually the unique qualities of patience, courtesy and meticulous planning. As a proponent of Bonsai and other Japanese Arts, my love for nature, greenery, micro and macro environment and events planning got a boost.”
Nikunj also acknowledged his Indian colleagues, “I cannot forget my mentors, Mr. Gopal Pohekar, Mr. Lalji Mehrotra, Mr. SP Godrej, Mr. Minoo Shroff, Mr. Suresh Kotak, Mr. Vinaya Mehrotra and all my en- lightened colleagues.” In conclusion, he added, “I am all the more inspired that the Government of Japan has appreciated my small effort. This is possible only when we walk together in the onward journey with purpose, as united we bloom & divide we wither.”
Congratulations to Nikunj for this well deserved honor!
58 | BCI | July/August/September 2015